In a fervent campaign kickoff event held in Owerri, the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the November 2023 Governorship Election in Imo State, Sir Tony Ejiogu, announced his administration’s top priorities, focusing on security and the economy if elected. Ejiogu pledged to rebuild Imo by addressing the pressing issues of insecurity and revitalizing the state’s economy.

Ejiogu, while reminiscing about the state’s lost glory, expressed his distress at Imo’s transformation from the Eastern heartland to what he termed the Eastern wasteland over the past three years. He emphasized his commitment to combatting the security challenges by implementing a multifaceted approach, including bolstering law enforcement and investing significantly in community engagement to identify and address conflict drivers.

Speaking passionately about the choice facing Imo residents, Ejiogu declared, “In spite of our past triumphs and legacies, this is a time of great tension between good and evil, progress and retrogression, and a time to choose whether to continue on the path of destruction or begin the process of rebuilding our dear Imo.”

Ejiogu’s first order of business in his rebuilding agenda is to make communities in Imo State safe and habitable once more. He cited troubling statistics, stating, “From August 2020 to July 2023, our dear Imo State has experienced 209 violent attacks. No fewer than 289 people have lost their lives to those attacks, while about 100 people have been kidnapped and mostly unaccounted for subsequently.” Ejiogu emphasized that restoring security is paramount to allowing residents to enjoy the simple pleasures of life and feel safe.

Despite Imo’s reputation for one of the highest literacy rates in the country, Ejiogu lamented the state’s status as the headquarters of youth unemployment in Nigeria. To address this issue, he pledged to implement strategic economic reforms and initiatives to create an enabling environment for private enterprises, generating jobs, reducing poverty, and boosting internally generated revenue (IGR) by 50% within three years.

Ejiogu, considered one of the leading contenders for the Imo government house in the November election, also promised to establish a livable minimum wage of at least 80,000 naira per month for Imo workers, alongside ensuring timely settlement of pensions and gratuities.

His economic agenda includes aggressive agricultural sector reforms aimed at tackling food insecurity. He introduced the “One-Community-One-Product (OCOP)” initiative, which will harness each community’s comparative advantage to develop specialty products.

Furthermore, Ejiogu expressed his dedication to full devolution of powers and the restoration of the local government system. He plans to conduct free, fair, and credible local government elections and grant them complete financial and operational independence upon assuming office.

Ejiogu concluded by urging all Imo residents to unite, set aside their differences, and “choose to rebuild Imo by voting for the right leadership” in the November Governorship election. He emphasized his commitment to people-centered leadership and a vision of peace, growth, and prosperity for the state.

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